THE defeat of the proposed Bill to ban bull bars is a victory of common sense over sensational scaremongering.

The reality is that there is not a single proven pedestrian fatality due to bull bars and the figures that continue to be bandied about are not based on the available accident figures.

Around 3,000 people are killed in car accidents each year, but there is no evidence that bull bars have had any influence on these figures.

In fact, the contrary may be true, since the four wheel drive vehicles that are fitted with bull bars are statistically much less likely to be involved in pedestrian accidents than other cars.

The statistics are backed up by the Association of British Insurers, which says that it has no evidence of an increase in either accidents or claims due to bull bars.

The Association of Protector Bar Manufacturers however is not complacent and encourages members to continually improve product designs to make them safer. With this in mind a code of practice has been developed in association with road safety experts, which takes account of all the latest research.

Perhaps now the hysteria will die down and manufacturers will be given the incentive to produce more new and improved products.

SELWYN ROWLEY, Association of Protector Bar Manufacturers, Park House, Desborough Park Road, High Wycombe.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.